Top construction



Jul 12, 1927.

J. H. BOURGON TOP CONSTRUCTION 7 Filed 001; 30. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet "l ATTORNEY INVENTOR: l JOSZ'PH fi BOUEGO/V 1 192 1635358 4 4.1-1. BOURGON- v TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed, 09%. 30. 1924 J2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOSE/DH BOZ/fGON ATTORNEY securing Patented July 12', 1927.

UNITED ST ES AaroFFic;

JOSEPH H. nouaeoiv,

OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR BORATION, OF SQUTH BEND, m'DIANA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

'ror cons'rnucrron.

' Application-fleilfletober 30,.1aa4. Serial No. 745,876;

: This invention relates to tops .for motor vehicles and particularlyto that class of tops provided with continuous coved sheet metal side quarters, as illustrated and described in my co-pending patent application on top construction filed J uly9, 1924, Serial Number 725,062, and in respect to which this invention constitutes an improvement.

It is an object of this invention to provide stiffening members for the side quarters of such a top whereby the .same will be materially' strengthened. I

Another object is to provide stiffening members formed to match the interior of'the quarters in a plane transversely to the length of the quarters and-to be securedin matching relation therein.

Another object is to provide such stiffening members of sheet metal, the edges of which are bent perpendicularly to the :face of the member to provide attaching and flanges whereby the same is secured to the top supporting member.

I A still further object is to provide such stiifeningmembe'rs which will also serve as supports for the curtains of said top, and also provide means for supporting a curtain shield or other such parts as it may be tions of parts to be found desirable.

The above being among the obj ects of .the present invention, the same consists'of certain features of construction and conibinahereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view. I

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a suitable embodiment of the presand in which like numerals ent' invention, v

throughout the several refer to' like partsviews,

' Figure 1 mobile top frame to which this invention'is particularly adaptable.

Figure 2 is a'view, taken from theinside i of the right hand quarter of the frame illustrated 1n Figure 1,

- stiifening bracket members therein. w

Figure 3; is a' fragmentary perspective view of a portion of one of the top frame sidev quarters showing the forward stiffeningbracket member secured in operative position therewith.

enlarged horizontal sectional view taken in the line 4-4 of Figur'ey4 is .m

is a perspective view of an auto-- showing the position of I are provided at the "other posts such as T0 r111: srunnnma oon- 10 showing the forward stiffening. bracket member. t

Figure 5 isfa fragmentary perspective view of a portion of one of the, top frame side quarters, showing the rear. stiifeiling bracket member secured inoperative position therein.

Figure 6 is a view looking from the inside of the front portion of the right hand top a frame side quarter showing the bracket for supporting the forward end of the front curtain.

Figure 7 is a sectional 'view taken-on the I line-77 of Figure 6, showing a face view of the bracket.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the for r v ward stifl'ening bracket member.

Figure 9 is a perspective'view of the curtain' support attached from the stiflening. I

bracket. 7

Figure 10 i'sIa sectional 'view' taken through the.right.hand forward stiffening bracket member in a plane parallel to its face, showin the manner of supporting the curtain shield tacking strip thereby and also the manner of supporting the curtain shield stifiening member,.thecurtains being shown diagrammatically by dotted lines.-

view of the right hand top frame side member, showing the several parts in operative relation therewith.

Figure 11,' is a fragmentary perspective I In the drawings is illustrated a frame of a permanent top for an'automobile 'of substantially the same general construction as that shown and described in my application for United States'Letters Patent on top constructions, filed July 9, 1924, Serial No. 725- 062, above referred to. In order to facilitate'cross reference between theformerapplication and the present one, the reference numerals in this application correspond to the reference numerals in the earlier application as far as poss'ble. I The'top frame essentially comprises side quarters 30, rear quarter 31,, front cross member 32 and ribs 33. Posts such as 47' front end-0f the frame for supporting the-front-end' of thetop, and 48 are provided forwardof the rear end. of the frame for; carrying the greater part of theweight 'of'theitop,

curved ing provided at the ing. down from the sheet metal members such asv 64 be-' bent downwardly and then bent inwardly to form a horizontally extending flange .84 to which are secured the. ends of the ribs 33 which extend from one quarter over to the other quarter and act to' support the top covering when applied. The lower edge of each quarter is turned inwardly to form a horizontally extending flange 83 to whichthe top rear support 48 is secured and to which a tacking strip 62, for the top cover- .ing, is also secured. Two rollers curtains 41 are shown mounted in overlappingrelation within each quarter 30 and are capable of being unrolled to form a closure between the front supports 47 and rear supports 48,

grooves 52 being provided in the front supports 47 and grooves 54 being provided in the rear supports 48 to receive and guide the adjacent edge of the adjacent curtain.

The curtains 41 are supported within the quarters 30'by suitable brackets, the front edge of the front curtain being supported by a strip 96 (Figures 6 and 7 extending vertically at the front end of the quarter 30,

from the upper edge thereof down to the angle iron member 36 which is employed to tie the side quarters 30 to the front cross member 32, a suitable opening 97 being provided in thestrip 96 to receive the conventional axle pin on the end of the curtain roller. The rear end of the front curtain is suitably supported in a small bracket 39 welded or' otherwise secured to the inner face of the quarter 30.

- The bracket 46 for the front end of the rear curtain is secured to'the inner side of the quarter 30 forward of the rear end of the front curtain so that the front and rear curtains will overlap along their adjacent edges and will form a tight and effective joint to exclude the weather when unrolled position. The rear end of the rear curtain is suitably supported in a bracket 98 somewhat similar ;to the bracket 46.

It is. in connection with such brackets as 46 and 98 that this invention is concerned and accordingly the will be described in detail. Each is pre erably formed of sheetthe attaching edge being metal as shown,

- shaped to conform to the interior surface of the quarter 30 and the remaining edges bemg formed to suit such purposes as may be found desirable. The metal around the entire periphery of the brackets is preferto which it may be subjected. For the pur- 1 pose of supporting the curtain 41 each bracket 46 is provided with a rectangular opening 100 in its face and a U-shaped'strip member 101 having outwardly turned free edges is inserted in the opening and the free edges are secured to the face-pf the brackets by spot welding or the like." The bottom of the U 'i's provided with a slot for receiving and supporting an end of the cur tain roller.

The remaining edge of the brackets 46 and 98 may be formed to suit any purpose desired as before stated. As illustrated, the

remaining edge of eachbracket 98 is for the greater part of its length formed straight,

leading from the lower flange 83 of the quarter 30 upwardly and inwardly to a point near its upper surface, from whence it is turned inwardly to form a projection which lies adjacent the upper flange 84. The

flanged edge 99 of this straight part is pro-I vided with an opening 102 in the upper portion thereof and a tapped block 103 is secured to the flange 99 back of the opening in such a manner that ascrew may be inserted through the opening 102 and threaded into the block 103. Such means is utilized for supporting the longitudinally extending wooden member 43 to which is attached the upper edge of the curtain shield 45 which.

extends downwardly therefrom to a point adjacent the tacking strip 62 where it acts as a-guide for the curtains 41 when the curtains are being unrolled and also conceals the curtains 41 in the quarters 30, when they V are in rolled position. Aside from securing the flange 99 to the curved portion of the side quarter 30 by spot welding or other -means, the bracket 98 may also be secured to the flange 83'and also to the depending portion at the upper andinner edge of the quarter 30 to thus more securely brace the quarter intermediate its ends.

The bracket 46, although conforming to the contour of the interior of the quarter 30, does not extend down to the flange 83 because of the necessity of clearing the front curtain 41 which is. positioned below therear curtain. Its unattached edge is formed to clear the front curtain and is also formed with an upper depression 103 which receives the longitudinally extending wooden member 43 and which is secured, thereto in a manner similar to that by which it is at- 9' tached. to the rearbracket 98 orby simply inserting a bolt 104 through the wooden member 43 and through the block 105 after which a nut 106 is threaded on the end projecting through the blockl05 as shownin Figure 10. The flange 99 immediately below the depressionf103 is backed bya tapped .block 107 to which is secured by the screws 108 the arm 9 L which is welded to the 10 stiffening rod 90, disposed in the lower edge of the shield 45, and which forms a stiffening member for the same.

Although butthree specific uses of the brackets 46 and 98, besides their primary use of strengthening the top, are illustrated and described, it will be apparent that such brackets may be modified to meet a variety of these and other uses, and I do not limit *myself to the specific. construction and ap-, plication shown-but claim broadly as my inventionthat which is commensurate with the appended claims. WhatIclaimis: H 4

1. The combination with a vehicle top having continuous coved sheet metal side quarters, of means'for stifl'ening said quar ters com rising transversely positioned brackets aving one face conforming in shape and secured to the interior surface of said quarters and formed to a curtain 'eld..- v

2. The combination with a vehicle top having coved sheet metal sidequarters, of a brace therefor positioned therein comprising brackets formed of sheet metal and I having a flange bent out of the plane of the body thereof to conform to the shape of said quarters and securedthereto, said 40' flange also providing an attaching face-on l the side opposite the face attached to said cquarters,

having coved sheet metal side talliarters, of brackets positioned transversely t ereof conforming in shapeto the interior surface of said quarters and secured-thereto along the matching edges .of said quarters and brackets and means carriedby said brackets for supporting vehicle side enclosures.

1. The combination with a vehicle top:

.having coved sheet metal side quarters, of

brackets positioned transversely of' said quarters and conforming in shape to said uartersand secured to th interior surface t ereof, and brackets carrild by first mena tioned brackets for supporti g roller curtain 9 side enclosures.

5. The combination with a vehicle .top

" having curved sheet metal side quarters and transversely positioned brackets matching. the interior surface of said quarters anf having a second face rov1de.an attaching member for p from and on the .mner 816.6. of said side and a shield for concealingsai'd" brace and side quarter secured-to said at-' tachin face. 45 3. T he; combination with a vehicle top.

cured transversely thereto, set from and secured to sa1 having -sheet metal side quarters and a memhp; at the frontof said top intermediate said carried by said side quarter for ,mediate.-.-its ends and forming the support means for supporting roller curtain side enclosures on said brackets, and separate means carried by said brackets-for concealing said and intermediate the ends of said quarters,

said braces having flanges thereon conformmg in shape with the curved surface ofsaid quarters and secured to said curved surface, each brace forming the support for an end of a roller curtain and provided with means. for securinga tacking stri thereto, and a.

shield for said curtain attached to said tacking strip, a i 90. i 8. In combination with a vehicle to hav-- 111g coved sheetmetal side quarters, races positioned transversely of said side quarters and seciu-ed thereto intermediate the ends thereof, sald braces each having a flat, free surface to which is secured a shield spaced quarters. v

. 9. In 'a vehicle top having coved sheet metal side quarters adapted to support a plurality of roller curtains in overlapping relation, brackets forming stifiening members for said quarters secured thereto, said brackets being spaced to support one of said curtains and 'one ofsaidf brackets being formed to provide clearance for another of said curtains-to position the same in overlapping position. v

10. In a vehicle to havin coved sheet metal side quarters, Rnaoes or said side quarters conforming in shape with and seand brackets oil'- d braces for sup-' porting side. closures thereon 11. In combination with a vehicle top e quarters, means for connecting said member and said side quarters, a bracket secured to said-means forming the su port for the front endiof a side curtain, a lock" pp r rs the other :end ofsaid curtain, and braces v for said side quarter secured thereto interfor a secod curtain, one of saidlast-named braces being shapedt'o provide clearance for said first-named curtain-to position said cu tainsin overlapping relation.

12. In combination with a vehicle top 1.30..

the ends. thereof, members connecting the front. and rear ends of said side quarters,

a bracket supported by each of said side quarters, a bracket supported at the front A., this 27th day of October, 1924.

of each of said side quarters, and a block secured to each side quarter, said block and said second named bracket being adapted to support a curtain therebetween, and said brace and said first na-medlbracket supporting a second curtain in overlapping relation with said first named curtain.

Signed by me at Detroit, Michigan, U. S.

JOSEPH H. BOURGON. 

